Granulated, raw, powdered, brown: can you distinguish the differences among all these types of sugars? To understand the basic distinctions between the different types of sugar, you must first understand how sugar is made. The sugar we use as sweetener comes from juice extracted from plants that naturally have a high amount of sugar: sugar beets and sugarcane. The juice is purified and filtered, then boiled down and crystallized. A byproduct of the crystallization process is the liquid sugar we call molasses. To separate the crystals from the liquid, the sugar is put in a centrifuge. The result is basically raw sugar (with a light brown tint), which is further refined by clarification using chemicals to bleach the color. Now you have white refined sugar, or the granulated sugar you buy at the grocery store.
Regular granulated white sugar isn’t the only type of sugar that’s made in this process. First comes the byproduct of molasses, which is great for baking. After that, other sugars in varying shades from light brown to very dark brown are made before you get highly processed white sugar. Here’s your guide to different types of sugar that you should know about :
- Confectioners (Powdered) Sugar – The finest white sugar that you can get. It is about 3 percent cornstarch to help keep it from clumping. It’s used for making icing or gazing baked goods.
- Granulated Sugar – The white tables sugar that everyone is accustomed to. It’s the one most commonly used in recipes.
- Coarse Sugar – White sugar that has a much larger crystal size. It’s often used for decorating.
- Turbinado Sugar – This is raw cane sugar with the surface molasses removed. It has a coarse texture and a blonde colour.
- Brown Sugar – The brown sugar that we purchase in the store is often granulated white sugar with molasses mixed back in. This can be done at home in your food processor by adding one tablespoon of molasses per cup.
- Muscouado Sugar – It is a very dark natural brown sugar, that has a higher concentration of molasses left in. It has a stickier texture than most sugars. It’s used in strongly flavoured sweets such as gingerbread.
- Honey and Maple Syrup – You can replace granulated sugar with maple syrup or honey in most recipes. Use 3/4 cup maple syrup or honey for every 1 cup granulated sugar. When baking with maple syrup or honey, reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons for every cup used and reduce the oven temperature by 25F to avoid burning. Maple syrup and honey can be used interchangeably.
Reference : https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6c/63/bb/6c63bb24f28e9fa60ca5660a350eb0b0.jpg
I use powdered sugar on waffles and the wedding cake cookies. We only make the wedding cake cookies during the Christmas Holidays.
Like every week, I use regular sugar. Once a week, I make pancakes or waffles for my family.
My dad and I know how to make the simple syrup for iced coffee- basically sugar and hot water
Raw Sugar- so far, I don’t drink coffee black. I have to put raw sugar in the hot coffees- Mistos are my norm
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is a lot of sugar though 😛
LikeLike
At least, some of the sugars I eat are from fruit.
Look- with some things, I have lowered the sugar. Like with lattes- use less in that and in iced coffee.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Do you have sugar cravings or would you say you have a sweet tooth?
LikeLike
Sweet tooth
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah alright.
LikeLike
Good post. I like brown sugar in oatmeal and regular granulated sugar in other things
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is good!!
LikeLike
Such great information in this post. I am a sugar addict. I really want to reduce my sugar intake but it is a challenge because it seems like everything at the grocery store has sugar in it. 😦
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah yes. You are try some sugar substitutes like Consider the following alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth. Stevia. Stevia is a natural sweetener that’s extracted from the leaves of a South American shrub that’s scientifically known as Stevia rebaudiana. Xylitol. Erythritol. Monk fruit sweetener. Yacon syrup.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for the info!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Most welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a nice article describing all different types of sugar.
LikeLiked by 2 people
From white sugar to cane sugar to rich brown sugar, there are many sugar varieties you need to know, plus our favorite ways to use them. When you think about sugar, the first thing that probably comes to mind is sweetness. And while it does sweeten baked goods, savory dishes, and drinks, the uses for sugar are many
LikeLike